Biden makes groundbreaking trip to Angola - first US president to visit this nation
**Joe Biden** plans his first-ever trip to Angola to visit slavery museum and discuss trade deals. The visit highlights both historical connections and modern partnerships between these nations
Joe Biden plans to make history tomorrow as the first-ever US president to visit Angola‚ marking a key-point in US-African relations. Thousands of on-lookers filled Luandas streets to welcome him yesterday
The presidents visit focuses on the National Museum of Slavery - a 17th-century building that tells a dark story of the trans-atlantic slave trade (where about 4 million Angolans were sent to the Americas). Wanda Tucker‚ a Black American whose roots trace back to early Virginia settlers will join the event
The US is giving $229‚000 for the museums up-keep; its a place where iron-chains and torture tools remind visitors of humanitys cruel past. The building itself - once owned by a major slave-trader‚ includes a chapel where people were force-baptized before their journey
It would be impossible to make up for what happened in the past
Biden and Lourenco will meet to talk about:
* Trade deals
* Security team-ups
* Defense plans for next year
* Maritime safety issues
The visit highlights a big US-backed train project that connects mineral-rich areas to Atlantic ports - its meant to offer an option different from Chinas influence in the region. The railway links Congo and Zambia (which have lots of copper and cobalt) to Angolas coast
